Drive theory

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    Abstract

    In Freud’s theory of mind, a drive in a broad sense is the force of psychological motivation. In a narrow sense, it is the force of an active innate mental need. An innate mental need is made active by an impulse of an innate need of the body, and its drive forces the mind to do work to the end of satisfying the mental need. The drive does so increasingly until physical action is taken that has the effect of doing away with the somatic impulse, thereby satisfying the innate mental need. In Freud’s theory there are a multiplicity of drives, and part of the work of psychoanalysis is to identify and understand the most fundamental ones – sexual, self-survival, life, and death. All drives have a source, aim, object, and exert pressure.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationEncyclopedia of personality and individual differences
    EditorsVirgil Zeigler-Hill, Todd K. Shackelford
    Place of PublicationCham, Switzerland
    PublisherSpringer, Springer Nature
    Pages1212-1219
    Number of pages8
    ISBN (Electronic)9783319246123, 9783319280998
    ISBN (Print)9783319246109
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2020

    Publication series

    NameSpringer reference live

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